Yam and Peanut Stew with Kale

Around our house we've been feeling pretty uninspired to cook lately.  And there's one big culprit - we bought a house! So that means finding time or energy to think about or do anything has pretty much gone out the window.  Honestly even I get bored of how much we talk about house stuff but still we're super excited that we finally made this dream a reality.

When we have busted out with some cooking it's been for simple and healthy things to make up for all of the eating out we've been doing lately.  Up here in the PacNW we are also in between seasons weather wise so it can change daily what we're in the mood for.  We hit a cold and rainy spot earlier this week and that sent us hankering for some soup.  But healthy soup...and cheap soup...and quick soup.  So I found this recipe and it called my name immediately.

I really liked this soup but next time I'd pureed the whole thing and then add in the kale.  The texture was a little weird to have it a little of both.  Flavor wise this soup was top notch.  You may think, peanut butter in soup?  Are you sure?  And yes, I am sure - it's delicious!  Another thought is serving it with a nice lemon yogurt sauce on top to brighten it all.  Enjoy any which way you serve it.

Yam and Peanut Stew with Kale
found here

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger, minced
1 cup dried red lentils
2 lbs of yams, peeled and cubed
3 ripe vine tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
dash of cayenne
5 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 head of curly kale
salt and pepper to taste
chopped green onions and peanuts for garnish, optional but highly recommended

1. Heat olive oil in large soup pot over medium heat.  Add onion and sautee until translucent, about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger and sautee until fragrant.  Add the lentils, yams, tomatoes and spices and stir to combine.
2.  Add stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce soup to simmer and cook until yams are tender, about 35-40 minutes.
3.  Add peanut butter and stir well.  Puree soup with an immersion blender.  Add kale and cook until wilted.
4.  Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper.  Serve and garnish with peanuts and green onions, if using.

Kimchi and Tofu Soup with Ground Pork

This soup is what I would call the equivalent of an Asian chicken noodle soup.  It seemed like something of a go to comfort soup and was really soothing and used a lot of basic Asian ingredients.  We happen to love kimchi in our household and try to have it on hand to throw on top of eggs, takeout, and whatever else we can think of.  I think kimchi in general is creating quite a following right now and seems to be prevalent on a lot of restaurant's menus, Asian or not.

Another thing about this soup is that it had a very harmonious texture profile.  The tofu was silky, the kimchi added crunch, and the ground pork added a chewy meaty consistency.  It had a little bit of spice from the kimchi and overall was really satisfying for a weeknight meal.  And, as always, I try to pick recipes that have minimal prep for anything I'm making on a weeknight.  This totally fit that order.  It also looked good in my new soup bowls my family gave me for Christmas - thanks family!

I hope you enjoy this; it was fun to make and eat!

Kimchi and Tofu Soup with Ground Pork
adapted from Food 52

• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, minced
• 2 cups kimchi
• 6 cups chicken stock 
• 3 medium carrots, cut into medium dice 
• Bragg's liquid aminos, to taste
• 7 ounces soft tofu, chopped into cubes
• Green onion, to serve

1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil on high until hot. Add ground pork and cook, breaking up clumps, until no longer pink. Add garlic and ginger and stir until fragrant. Add kimchi and cook for a few minutes until hot. Pour in stock and about a tablespooon of liquid aminos.
2. Let soup come to a boil, then turn heat to a low simmer and gently add the tofu and carrots. Continue cooking for about 15 minutes. Add more liquid aminos to taste as you go.
3. Distribute the soup evenly into bowls. Garnish each with a sprinkle of green onion right before serving.

Harissa and Veggie Wild Rice Pilaf with Crispy Prosciutto

This recipe was very compelling to me even though it could come off as confusing to some.  I was in search of something indulgant, which for me means cheese, but still somewhat healthy and also weeknight friendly.  I recalled seeing this recipe and it checked all of those boxes for me. Also if you aren't already following the Half Baked Harvest blog then please do, I just love her stuff.

The result of this was very satisfying.  I was really in love with this dish.  The crispy prosciutto on top was so good and it would've never occurred to me to crisp it up like that but it added an extra treat to the dish.  If you are trying to go lighter with it you could always leave it off. I also loved the wild rice and it reminded me of a wild rice "stuffing" my mom always made at Thanksgiving time. Also this dish is very versatile in that you could use whatever veggies and cheese you wanted to the mix and still come up with something great.  This would also make a lovely side dish but I ate it as my main.  I went back for seconds of course because it was just that good.  I ate it all week for dinner and it stands up really well for leftovers.

A really great weeknight meal for the new year - enjoy!

Harissa and Veggie Wild Rice Pilaf with Crispy Prosciutto
slightly adapted from Half Baked Harvest

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups cooked wild rice
• 1/3 cup store bought (or try homemade) harissa
• 1/2 cup fresh broccoli, cup into small pieces
• 12 oz. fresh spinach
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped. plus more for garnish
• 4 oz. dill cheddar cheese
• 2 oz. gouda cheese
• 5 oz thinly sliced prosciutto
• 2 tblsp. toasted and chopped almonds
• salt and pepper

Grease a 2-3 quart baking dish with butter or olive oil.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cook wild rice and set aside.  Heat a very large skillet or wok over medium-high heat.  Once hot add 2 tblsp. of olive oil, the chopped onions and minced garlic.   Cook 8-10 minutes or until onion is soft and lightly caramelized. Add the broccoli, spinach, cilantro and dill and cook about 3-5 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted and broccoli is slightly softened. Remove from heat and stir in the cooked wild rice, harissa and remaining 2 tblsp. of olive oil.  Pour mixture into prepared casserole dish and cover with grated cheeses.  Lay out prosciutto evenly over top of cheese.  Bake for about 20-30 minutes until prosciutto is crispy.  Remove and sprinkle with cilantro and almonds.  Serve immediately.

Sweet and Sour Beef Brisket - 100th Post!

Happy 100th post to us!  We've been through our ups and downs with this blog over the years but Mostly Soup is still kicking.  Thanks to all those who read our stuff.  We like keeping this blog up for a reference journal of our own accord and those who follow along are icing on the cake.  So raise a glass to you - THANK YOU!

I made this classic beef brisket when the rain first started in and paired with some red wine and a warm fire it was just the trick for coziness.  It would be the perfect dish to make for a stay at home New Years Eve celebration.  It feels decadent and rich but is really hands off and easy.  I didn't feel the need to make any sort of adjustments to this recipe; it was great just the way it is.  Just a heads up that you do need to start this recipe the night before you plan to serve it, or in the morning time so you have the whole day to rest it.

I roasted up some carrot and potato "coins" to go along with it.  If you have the Smitten Kitchen cookbook this recipe is in there but it's as easy as cutting up the potatoes and carrots in coin shapes and roasting until done with your favorite seasonings.

In any case I hope you get to try this out before winter is over.  Have a very happy New Years (with or without this brisket)!!

Sweet and Sour Beef Brisket
not adapted at all from Smitten Kitchen cookbook

•  4-to-5-pound (1¾ to 2¼ kg) piece beef brisket
•  1½ teaspoons kosher salt, plus more for initial seasoning of meat
•  Freshly ground black pepper
•  1 cup (235ml) beef stock
•  3 tablespoons (50 grams) tomato paste
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) brown sugar, light or dark
•  4 teaspoons paprika
•  2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
•  1/8 teaspoon red chili flakes
•  1 teaspoon garlic powder
•  2 tablespoons (15 grams) onion powder

Season the meat generously on both sides with salt and pepper.  Whisk all of the remaining ingredients together in a bowl.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Place the meat in a dutch oven (or any other sturdy pot with a lid) and pour the sauce over it.  Put the lid on and roast for 3 hours, or tender enough to pull apart with a fork.

Chill the entire dish in the fridge for several hours or up to one day.  This resting time will enhance the flavor and texture of the meat.  An hour before you are ready to serve it heat the oven to 300 degrees and remove the dish from the fridge.  Skim off any fat that has congealed at the top of the meat.  You can leave some if you like but I skimmed it all for a less oily finish.  Remove the meat and slice into 1/4-1/2 inch slices and put back into the sauce in the pan.  Replace the lid and put into the pre-heated oven.  Reheat until the sauce is bubbly around the edges.  Serve immediately with sauce on the side to pour or spoon over meat.

Chinese Style One Pot Beef Stew

Being in the mood for stew a lot recently is sometimes tough.  Tough in that it can often take forever to get that fall apart texture to your meat when it's a week night and you just don't have all day to make it.  I live for that meat texture - it's definitely my favorite when the meat seems to melt away.  This Chinese style one pot meal makes for a good rendition of a week night stew recipe.

It doesn't take too long, the meat texture was good, and there's minimal chopping which seems to get your meat a-stewin' quicker. I also liked doing something a little off the beaten path as far as flavor profile. The shot of greenery in the form bok choi is also a nice touch and I think broccoli would work just as well.  Hope you enjoy!

Chinese Style One Pot Beef Stew
from BBC's goodfood blog

• 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 bunch green onions
• good thumb size piece of ginger root, peeled and minced
• 1 red chili, seeded and thinly sliced (I used a jalapeno since I couldn't find a red pepper)
• 3 1/5 lbs stew beef, cut into large pieces (I used
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chinese five spice powder
• 2 star anise 
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine or cooking sherry
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 cups beef stock
• 1 bunch bok choi, chopped and steamed

1.  Heat 2 tbsp of oil in large dutch oven or stock pot.  Sautee the garlic, onions, ginger and chili until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes.  Put onto a large plate.  Toss the beef in the flour and salt and pepper generously.  Add 1 more tbsp of oil to the pot and brown the meat in two batches, adding the last tbsp of oil in between batches.  Put on the plate with the garlic sautee mixture.

2.  Add the five spice and the anise to the pot, fry for 30 seconds, then add the sugar.  Keep the heat high and add the wine or sherry, scraping up any meaty bits.  Put the meat and garlic sautee mixture back in the pot, add the stock and soy sauce (it won't cover the meat completely), and bring to a simmer.  Cook for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is very soft and sinewy bits have melted away.

3.  When the stew is close to finished, steam your bok choi and make some rice to serve stew over.  Add the bok choi to the plate with stew and rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.

Stuffed Eggplant with Pork

This is not exactly a summer meal but it turned out so good I decided to post it anyhow.  My mom and I have a standing Saturday date at the farmer's market and this time of year in the PacNW it's a bounty that is all for the taking.  Every single stand looks like a picture out of a cookbook.  I had a hard time restraining myself.  One of the things I did end up with in my basket was some beautiful small eggplants. I always feel good buying these because they are DP's favorite vegetable.  To which I had two people exclaim to me on that same day, "Who's favorite vegetable is eggplant?!?"  He's an odd bird that one.  Fortunately, I like eggplant too so I was on my way to something good for dinner.

In the summertime I feel you can't go wrong with veggies and protein so I thought a meat stuffed eggplant sounded great.  I ended up finding a recipe out of the beautiful cookbook Jerusalem.  This one was for lamb stuffed eggplant and I'm not such a huge lamb fan, unlike Michelle.  So I substituted ground pork in its place.  I made a few other small adjustments.  Next time I think this would be even lovelier with a nice yogurt sauce spooned on top.  Come fall I'll be giving it another go around. Here is the recipe as I made it.

Stuffed Eggplant with Pork
adapted from Jerusalem cookbook

• 3 small eggplants, halved lengthwise
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon hungarian paprika
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
•  1/2 ground pork or any other ground meat you prefer
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 3/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preheat the oven to 425.  Place the halved eggplants in a roasting pan with sides and brush with 2 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and let roast for 20 minutes, until golden brown and then allow to cool slightly.

While the eggplants roast start making the filling.  Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium frying pan over medium heat. Mix together the cumin, paprika and cinnamon and add half of this mixture to the pan, along with the onions.  Cover over medium-high heat for about 8 minutes. stirring often.  Add the ground meat, pine nuts, parsley, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of the sugar and salt and pepper.  Continue to cook and stir for another 8 minutes or until meat is cooked through.

Place the remaining spice mix in a bowl and add the water, lemon juice, tamarind paste, cinnamon sticks, a sprinkle of salt and the remaining sugar.  Stir well.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375.  Pour the spice mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Spoon the meat mixture into each eggplant, heaping.  Cover tightly with foil and return to the oven for 1 1/2 hours.  Twice during cooking baste the eggplants with the sauce and add more water if it starts to dry out.  The eggplants should be completely soft at the end.  Serve warm or even at room temperature.



I totally failed at taking a final picture - whoops.

Turkey Green Pepper Chili with Masa Dumplings

For some reason that's never been explained to me DP is constantly suggesting chili when I ask him what he wants for dinner.  I guess when I think about it it doesn't need much explaining other than chili is a delicious thing to eat.  However, it does leave me in the position of needing to come up with different ways of making chili, which I'm all too happy to be tasked to do.

So on such an occasion of a chili suggestion I decided that I'd made this dish often enough to not need a recipe for the base of it.  That I could wing no problem but what I did need was a clever pièce de résistance.  So having a huge bag of masa in the cupboard from a recent tortilla making spree I went in search of a masa related idea.  I had heard of adding masa to chili before to thicken it up but making a masa dumpling was so much more interesting and happened to thicken the chili at the same time.  It was certainly a win-win.  I also used turkey instead of beef to lighten the caloric intake.  Add in some veggies, beans and tomatoes and you're on your way to a great chili night.  I hope it's one of many for you just as it is for us.

Turkey Green Pepper Chili with Masa Dumplings
chili improvised. masa dumplings from here

• 1 lb. ground turkey (or any other ground meat you fancy)
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 tblsp. olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 jalapeno, de-seeded and minced
• 2 (15 oz.) cans of cooked black beans, rinsed
• 1 (15 oz.) can of pinto beans, rinsed
• 1 (28.5 oz.) can of diced tomatoes with juices
• 1 (15 oz.) can of roasted tomatoes with juices
• 1 tblsp. cumin
• 1 tblsp. ground ancho chili powder
• water
• salt and pepper
• cilantro for garnish (optional)
• 3/4 cup masa
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Heat olive oil in large dutch oven over medium heat.  Add chopped onion and saute until translucent.  Add garlic, bell pepper and jalapeno and saute until bell pepper is soft.  Add turkey and break up into small pieces with spoon until most of the pink is cooked out of the meat.  Add cumin, chili powder and S&P until fragrant.  Add black beans, pinto beans, diced and roasted tomatoes and cover with just enough water that all veggies and beans are submerged.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer until soup thickens just slightly.  Check seasonings and adjust if necessary. 

While that simmers make the masa dumplings.  In large bowl combine masa, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add butter and work into flour mixture with a pastry cutter (or fork) until butter resembles corn meal with a few large chunks.  Stir in buttermilk just to combine.

Add dumplings by the tablespoon to the simmering soup.  Cover with a lid and let simmer for 10 minutes.  Serve soup with a dumpling or two in each bowl and garnished with cilantro.  I also slipped in a few avocado chunks and some cotija cheese I had on hand for good measure.  Enjoy!

Soup of the Bakony Outlaws

First things first, this soup has an outstanding name that comes not from the bacon in it, but from a region of Hungary called Bakony.  I picture a bunch of rough looking dudes eating this feast around a campfire in the mountains after just having stolen the bacon that's used in it. Besides that, the ingredient list is a lot of my favorite things all piled into one very rich, hearty, comforting soup. Not the most "springy" soup, but it sure did hit the spot on a cozy Friday night spent at home.  If you like Hungarian Mushroom soup and if you like bacon, you will most definitely enjoy this soup. 

One important aspect of making this soup (and most soups) is that the vegetables are cooked perfectly. Not too mushy, not too hard, but just perfect. Chopping them up small and consistent in size (before you begin making the soup), as the recipe indicates, helps with this and also keep an eye on your pot to make sure it doesn't boil too heavily but stays at a low simmer.  I felt a little guilty chopping up the gorgeous beef tenderloin to put in this soup forgot all about it once I tasted those tender little chunks in the finished soup.  This soup takes a lot of chopping but believe me, it is worth the effort.  I will definitely be making this again on a cold winter's night in the future.

Soup of the Bakony Outlaws 
Adapted from Fine Cooking and I made very few changes. 

Serves 6 +

• 3 Tbs. oil
• 2 medium yellow onions, cut in 1/4-inch dice
• 3 slices thick cut bacon, about 1/4 lb or slightly les, cut in 1/4-inch dice
• 2 Tbs. sweet paprika
• 8 oz. beef tenderloin, cut in 1/4-inch dice (the original recipe calls for veal) 
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 skinny carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch dice 
• 2 medium turnips, cut in 1/4-inch dice
• 8 oz. mushrooms, cut in 1/4-inch dice (I used cremini but a fancier variety would be swell)
• 2 medium red potatoes, cut in 1/4-inch dice (medium=about three inch diameter)
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded, and cut in 1/4-inch dice  (a can of diced would also work well)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche
• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 1 bunch of swiss chard, ribs removed, sliced into ribbons (optional)
• 3 Tbs. chopped fresh dill

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven and cook the onions and bacon over medium heat until the onions start to color, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the paprika and cook, stirring, another 2 minutes to release and develop its flavor. Add the beef and just enough stock to cover it. Cover the pan and simmer for 20 minutes.

Add the chopped carrots, turnips, mushrooms, potatoes, tomatoes, and enough stock to cover the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, another 20 minutes. Add a little more stock if the soup looks too dry during cooking, bearing in mind that more liquid will be added later. (I did not need to add more stick, used 3 cups total.)

Put the sour cream and cream in a small bowl and stir in the flour with a fork or whisk.  Pour this into the pot and bring it to a boil, stirring constantly. Simmer for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper. Just before serving, stir in the chopped chard and fresh dill and dish it up!

We ate this with a seedy baguette and could not stop oohing and aahing! It is extremely rich and I think the amount of cream/sour cream could be reduced in half and still be just as inspiring. 



P.S. This soup tastes about a zillion times better than it photographs!